Twice Struck, Once Wounded
by Mr. Redgrave
Summary: I was once told that life is but a wheel of changes. For a while I believed this to be true, but in fact, it is us who live that change so drastically. Some change for the better, but most for worse...man I'm old...why do I even care again?


**Hello, hello...this fiction has bits and pieces from both myself and my good friend Fallen Vanguard. Enjoy, as FV usually says.**

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"Could you please just look after them for today, Renard?" a beautiful, relatively young Ninetales asks me. I nod, but not before grinning.

"Of course dear, but you must'nt forget to call me 'Father', after all, I AM your father...at least that's what your mother tells me," My daughter giggles a bit at this, and I turn around to look at the small, brownish gray cave that my family and I live in. We have been living here for over 200 years, and I for one do not plan on leaving this cave any time soon. It got a little drafty during the colder months, but other than that there were no issues with it.

"Thank you then, father. Kitsune and I will be back tommorow with mom. Don't let the young ones out of your sight," my daughter reminds me before she exits the cave. I was not going to lose sight of them, that would be easy enough. I turn slowly and look down, taking a small breath before I start to speak:

"Perhaps I should clear my throat, or have a drink of water, or perhaps I should allow you all to go to the bathroom. I should, indeed, but I won't, not before I begin lecturing to you insufferable little ingrates. And no complaining, I will not enjoy this any more than you will, but as your sitter and guardian, I am left with little choice," I say with dignity to the six small, reddish-brown furred Vulpix kits that are sittting before me, their brown eyes blinking as their still small minds try to comprehend the words that have just escaped my throat. I always spoke like this, it was better for them to not know that I have been insulting them since they've been born, their parents would most certainly throw a fit.

"...Can you just start with the story already?" a young female one asks with a whine. I roll my eyes, then shrug my shoulders nevertheless, my nine, exquisite, golden furred tails flicking in unison. I have quite a tale for them, as they were to be under my watch for the next twenty four hours. I am rather fond of the tale I have in mind, as it is both valorous and meaningful, not that the brats are able to appreaciate that. They are not even able to appreaciate my inner monlogues, such as this one that I am having at this very second.

"C'mon grandpappy Renard, start with the story," a young male complains, proving my point. I shake myself from my thoughts, and smile at my grandkits before I open with a small speech.

"When you've lived for as long as I have, you come to realize that the things one will do throughout his or her life has a high possibility of affecting the entire population of this planet, nay, the universe, yes, whether one likes it or not. This knowledge causes many to re-evaluate their hopelessly insignificant little lives, feigning to be concerned for their peers and fellow beings, but they are only selifshly curious as to whether or not the universe deems them important enough to either have them save the universe, or damn it with their actions and mannerisms, each for as long as a single minute, or for as short as an eternity..." The kits merely blink at this, and I give a disappointed sigh.

"But, then again, when you've lived for as lengthy a period of time as I have, you shall come to realize something else...you shouldn't, won't, and possibly already don't give a single, Rattata's furry, purple, and possibly gaseous ass," this closing statement earns me a few giggles and chuckles, which is far better than mere blinking.

"Unfortunately, there may be those around you that will incent or force you to care, no matter how old you may be. This tale is just one of many where this is the sad, tragic case for the protagonist. To make matters more sad, unfortunate, and tragic...it is my own tale. The other eight are fine, thankfully," another few giggles and chuckles are given to me by my grandkits, which causes me to smirk. I'm not half bad at this story telling business.

"Now then, this tale begins a good 400 years or so ago..."


End file.
